Home
by EmaniaHilel
Summary: [Chaptered] Robin is called back to a place he hasn't been to in years...a place he isn't sure he can go to alone. [COMPLETE]
1. 1: An Invitation

**A/N:** I've got about 10 pages worth of this so far. I know more or less what I want to do with it and I know it isn't going to go for very much longer. It's going to have a few chapters, but only because the chapters are short, so I'm warning you about that now. This first Chapter is about a page long and that's it. Some of the others are a little longer, but not by much. Also not beta'd.

_**Home: Chapter 1  
**__**An Invitation  
**__**by Em**_

"_The way back home is always long / But if you're close to me I'm holding on._.."  
- Shakira, The One

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

He exhaled, "_Are_ you busy?"

It sounded, even to Raven's ears, as if Robin was asking her out. "On Saturday?" she asked, raising a brow. Best to be clear...

He smiled a little, but it wasn't completely happy or cocky and it made Raven realize that he wasn't exactly happy about Saturday...whatever it brought with it. But he nodded, "Yes, Saturday."

She narrowed her eyes and lowered her book, giving him her full attention, "That depends..." she said, her voice never changing, but Robin could probably already tell that she was interested. She didn't have to tell him on what it depended. Robin was a smart boy, and he knew her better than she liked to let on she was aware.

He chuckled and this time it was a real smile, a real laugh and the heavy feeling in her chest lightened just a little. "I got a message from..." and here he paused and the silence was pregnant with meaning, but Raven couldn't quite decipher it. "...an old friend..." he finished, exhaling as if the very act of speaking those words had caused him great trouble. "A very old friend," he said, shaking his head. "And they need my help..." he continued. "And they asked me to come on Saturday, but I ca..." he stopped and there was that pause again, only this time Raven recognized the determination in his jaw, the stress on his shoulders: he clearly didn't want to speak of this, but he was forcing himself to. His hand on his knee clutched into a fist, "...I can't go alone..." he shook his head.

"Did they call for Richard or Robin?" she asked, her voice soft.

He looked up and met her eyes, and she could feel the weight of them even if she couldn't see them, "Richard," he answered. Something went on just underneath the surface then, and she could tell the exact moment he came to the ultimate conclusion, the final decision to tell her everything, "They called for Richard," he repeated, "The last remaining Flying Grayson."

Her eyes opened a little in surprise, whether at his admission or at the fact itself, she wouldn't know. He kept her gaze, and eventually, her eyes went back to normal. She had known some of his past, not a lot, just enough. Enough to not be surprised at who he was and enough to know that he was asking her to come back to the Circus with him on Saturday. She nodded, "I'll go," she said, leaning back against the couch and lifting her book. Out of her peripheral vision, she caught his smile. "But if you expect me to get on a trapeze, you've got another thing coming."

His laughter came in a sharp bark of surprise. "I didn't know you were afraid of heights, Raven," he countered.

She scoffed, or as close to a scoff as Raven ever got, which was nothing more than a sharp exhale through her nose. "It's not the height, boy blunder," she said, looking at him over the top of her book, "It's more like the colors of your costume I'm allergic to."

"Hey!" he said, sufficiently offended.

She shrugged and lowered her eyes back her book, satisfied that she had chased as much of the shadows out of his eyes as she could.

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**A/N: **So...sound promising? Expect another chapter up tomorrow night. (I start a temp job tomorrow, so probably not until late at night)


	2. 2: Ordinary Girl

**A/N:** I hate my titles, I think I've said that before. Expect another one tomorrow.

**Thanks:** I'll be responding to each individually through ffn's 'review response' feature..._eventually_. (I'm too tired right now...)

**Disclaimer:** I forgot to do this last time, and now that I've thought of it, I say that if I weren't so tired I just might smack anyone who thinks I own Robin, Raven or anything Teen Titan related and even _thinks_ about suing me upside the head.

_**Home: Chapter 2  
**__**Ordinary Girl  
**__**by Em**_

"_Home is where one starts from."  
_- T. S. Eliot

As promised, the tickets were waiting for them at 'Will Call'. Robin retrieved them and turned to Raven who waited patiently at his side. Noting that her attention was drawn to their kinetic surroundings, he took a moment to study her with about as much interest as she was studying the excited people and performers walking about before the show.

She had dressed in a mix of casual and dressy in that amazing way only girls could ever really accomplish by pairing a short (but not too short) denim skirt in a dark, distressed blue that sported ripped patches and frayed edges along the bottom seam. Her top looked like a mini-cropped sweater vest with short sleeves in a bright red over a dress shirt (small red print with a white background) that had cropped sleeves and a pointy collar tucked.

He had been surprised to see her in the bright color when she met him in the common room that afternoon, but what had drawn his attention the most had been her shoes. He didn't think he'd ever seen Raven in anything but combat boots or barefoot and here she was, something definitely not either. They looked to his untrained eye like ballet slippers. Red ballet slippers, complete with red satiny ribbon lacing up her calf to end in a bow along the back of her leg.

Her feet had never looked so dainty. Or sexy.

She didn't look much like his teammate and friend at all.

Sure, he had seen her in casual wear before, but that was more along the lines of t-shirts and jeans, maybe a few yoga pants. He didn't even know she owned clothes like these.

"Is something wrong?" Raven's voice broke into his reverie and he realized she had not only approached him but that she was looking right at him.

"Hm?" he asked. "Wrong?" he tried to make sense of her question.

"With my outfit?" she asked, her voice as deadpan as ever. "If it's inappropriate I could change."

Once again, he was struck by the difference between Raven and most girls he had met. Most girls would catch him looking at their clothes and either take it as flirting or appreciation and if they asked about it, their tone always had that hint that said she was teasing him back, wanting to get him to admit that she looked as good as she knew she looked. With Raven, it was different. Her question was said in the same tone she used when they discussed strategies on how to approach an enemy.

"No," he said, smiling at her, "Don't do that," he told her. "You look very nice."

Surprising him yet again, she didn't take his compliment as a compliment, but merely as an affirmation that she had chosen the right ensemble. If she had chosen the right ensemble, he could practically read her wondering, why was he staring at her? He waited for the thoughts he knew would be running in her head to settle into the logical conclusion that he was merely staring at her in appreciation.

Rather than just about any other reaction a normal girl would have had, Raven frowned, "Then why were you looking at me as if you were wondering who I was?" she asked in that blunt way she had.

Robin was so surprised by the logical leap _her _mind had come to that he couldn't help but laugh. "Because I think I am," he answered honestly.

Raven's frown only deepened, but she had caught the playfulness of his tone and figured he was pulling her leg, trying to be difficult. "Well, you did tell me that we were coming here not as Titans, but as regular people and I didn't want to stand out or..." she trailed off and looked after the heavily made up man dressed as a satyr bouncing on very high stilts as he bounced by, occasionally teasing the visitors.

"Or?" he prodded.

She looked back at him, blinking the awe out of her eyes, "Embarrass you," she finished matter-of-factly.

Robin smiled, "The only way you could ever embarrass me is if you told any of the people here that know me how I fell on my ass doing a simple somersault last week."

She offered him a raised eyebrow and a mischievous twitch of the left corner of her lips, "Well...now that you mention it..." she started.

"Come on," Robin said laughingly, his hand lightly touching the small of her back as he herded her in the direction of their entrance, "We better find our seats before I give you any other ideas."

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**A/N:** I have a picture of Raven's outfit. Eventually, when I get the energy, I'll put it up on emsscraps. Go check it out...if you wanna.


	3. 3: New Experiences

**A/N:** I don't really have anything to say here, so...um...random note for the day: _If you ain't the head dog, your view never changes._

Expect another chapter tomorrow.

**Thanks:** Again, thanks for the response guys. I'll respond individually through 'review response' if I have something to say to you. Otherwise, thanks to everyone.

_**Home: Chapter 3  
**__**New Experiences  
**__**by Em**_

"_At home one relies on parents; away from home one relies on friends."  
_- Chinese Proverb

"You've never been to a circus before?" he asked incredulously.

Raven reached for the cotton candy in his hand and pulled off a healthy wad of fluffy purple. "Never," she confirmed before popping the bit into her mouth. She let it melt on her tongue for a moment before finishing it off, "It was never a high priority," she explained. "But I have seen some of it on television."

Robin shook his head, "It's not the same thing..." he looked off into the mostly bare sand arena before them. They had excellent seats: far enough away to see the whole arena and close enough to see the grooves in the sand. He smiled as memories of happier times came back to him. He had thought returning here would be much harder than it was turning out to be, much more painful. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't.

When he turned back to smile at her, the half formed smile melted into surprise at the sight of Raven sucking on her index finger and thumb in turns, presumably to rid them of the sticky cotton candy as she looked out across the sea of people coming to sit in their seats. His mouth went dry at the sight and he hated the fact that he was so aware of her when she was so obviously _not_ aware of the way the attention she was paying to her digits focused his attention on her lips, the white of her teeth as they nipped at her fingers and the pink tongue darting out to lick up the remnants.

'_This_,' he reminded himself, _'is why it is so hard to spend any amount of alone time with Raven.'_ Ever since he had admitted to himself how attracted he was to her, it seemed she couldn't do the simplest of tasks, no matter how innocent, without it turning him on on some level. He swallowed and reached at his feet for the cup of soda he had bought along with the cotton candy. Thankfully, by the time he looked at her again, she had managed to pull off all the candy from her fingers.

Only momentarily glancing at him, she reached across him to pull off another chunk of cotton candy with the same fingers she had just cleaned off and Robin had to repress a groan, _'Here we go again...' _he thought, taking a bite out of the cloud of cotton candy in the hopes of finishing it off before he'd be tortured with the finger cleaning ritual all afternoon.

"It's like a show _before_ the show, isn't it?" Raven asked, taking small nibbling bites off the fluff in her fingers as her eyes followed the casually dressed clowns whose job it was to walk around the audience as they settled and entertain them until the show could start.

He glanced at what she was talking about, smiling at the clown that was 'flirting' with the beefy man sitting along the edge of one of the first rows a few feet down from them, but within a few moments, his attention returned to Raven. He remembered that look on the faces of the kids he'd see every week when he performed and every day he could get away from his school work long enough to sneak into the big top and watch his family perform. He remembered feeling the way she must have been feeling. So many people, so much excitement buzzing in the air...

But for an empath?

"Are you alright?" he asked suddenly.

She looked at him and the shock flittered across her expression for the briefest of moments before she licked her lips free of the candy sweetness, "Yes, of course," she said, "Why do you ask?"

"I didn't stop to think what being in a place with so many people at once might do to you...you know, because of the empathy."

She smiled at him, just the minimalist hint of relaxation of her lips and reached for more cotton candy, "I'm fine," she told him. "I have been able to control myself in crowd situations for quite a while now," she said, and he could've sworn there was a hint of humor in her voice.

He blushed and munched on more cotton candy, "Right, sorry," he mumbled.

"But thanks for asking," she added, looking back at the clowns before he could meet her eyes.


	4. 4: Changes

**A/N:** Anyone have a reference for the names of Robin's parents? Anyone?

**Thanks:** Not too many people are into this one, but that's okay. It's good good amount of hits, but people aren't reviewing, but that's alright. Thanks to all the people who are. ((GRIN))

_**Home: Chapter 4  
**__**Changes  
**__**by Em**_

"_It feels like home to me / It feels like I'm all the way back / Where I come from..."  
_- Sophie B. Hawkins, Feels Like Home

The routines and shows hadn't changed too much since he left. Sure, there were advances, just like in anything, but the "Haly's Circus"(1) was humble and prided itself on its human interaction above the fancy spectacles that served only to separate the audience from the performers.

Because of this familiarity, Robin's attention kept being drawn away from the recognizable routines, over and over again, to Raven's face.

It was a strange thing to watch her experience something for the first time. He knew everyone always thought Raven was completely unemotional, but he knew that wasn't true. When the attention of others was on her, she tended to hide behind a mask of aloof indifference. But if she thought that people weren't watching her, or if she forgot she might be drawing attention, then her expressions were pretty..._well_, expressive.

Of course, she still didn't have large, overzealous shows of emotions the way Starfire or Beast Boy did. But if one knew when and how to look, one could definitely find more than a few emotions flitting across her features.

Robin knew how and when to look.

Hence, he wasn't as surprised as some might be to note that her face wasn't set in the seemingly perpetual lines of a frown or bored nonchalance. She wasn't shining in joy or anything, but she was definitely feeling something pleasant. If anyone asked, he couldn't even really describe it. It wasn't like her lips were spread in a toothy smile or anything. It was more subtle than that. It was more like her expression was relaxed. Open.

As she watched the tumblers, her lips were slightly parted, her jaw was a little slack, her eyes were just a little wider than normal and she was leaning forward just slightly in her chair, her hands laying lax on her lap.

The jugglers and their comedic routine made her smirk and the animal acts kept her rapt attention and softened the look in her eyes, like she was remembering something pleasant.

When the lion tamer (Skip, to Robin who recognized him as the previous lion tamer's son) placed his head between the massive animal's pointy jaws, Robin turned to find a tender smile on Raven's face. He frowned, and followed her line of sight only to be pleasantly surprised at realizing that she was looking at the face of the little girl in her mother's arms a few rows down and to the left of them.

Raven turned her eyes back to the lion and the man in the cage with him while the man put the lion through more acts and Robin leaned close to her, "That's Skip," Robin whispered in her ear.

"Skip The lion?" she whispered back.

Robin chuckled, "No, the lion tamer."

Raven narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the tamer and then glanced at Robin, reacting a little at realizing how close he was, "Is he the one that called you?" she asked.

He shook his head, "No," he admitted, laughing, "I just remember him, he was still a kid the last time I..." he trailed off and although the smile didn't leave his lips, the feeling behind it changed to one of slight melancholy.

"He's more attractive than I would have thought a lion tamer would be," she commented nonchalantly.

Robin's look of nostalgia evaporated in a puff of surprise, "What?" he asked.

Raven shrugged, "There's something about a guy who gets that close to danger all the time and..." she trailed off as Skip made the lion move so that it appeared he was dancing with him, "...dance in the face of it," she finished, the humor obvious in her voice.

"Yeah, well," Robin said, "The first time his father told him to get in the cage with the lion, he peed himself."

Raven looked at him in surprise, "So he overcame a nearly debilitating fear as well?" she asked, clearly impressed.

Robin frowned and looked back at Skip as he took his bows, "I'll be sure and introduce you," he said as the lights came on for the intermission, "I'm sure you two will have a great time if you can get past the wet animal smell of him."

Raven tried very hard not to chuckle, "Thanks but no thanks," she said nonchalantly, "Just being attractive doesn't cut it for me, you know."

Robin turned to her as the crowd began filing out searching for food and other intermission pursuits. "No?" he asked. She shook her head. "What does?"

She shrugged, "The kind of guy that would brave a stampeding herd of circus goers to get me another cotton candy..._perhaps_," she said, her tone never betraying the teasing nature of her words.

He laughed, "I'll brave the herd," he confirmed, standing up, "But how about popcorn instead?"

"I was joking," she said, standing up, "I won't let you go alone," she started walking with him, then realizing what he had said, turned back to look at him, "How about one cotton candy and one popcorn?" she bartered.

"Nope," he shook his head, "No more cotton candy."

"Why not?" she frowned.

"I don't think I can take it," he answered on a sigh.

"Well, you don't have to eat it," she countered, "I can eat it all."

He laughed, despite himself, "That's what I'm afraid of," he finished, leading her through the crowd and to the refreshment tent.

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**Notes:**

(1) I found the name of the circus on titanstower or something like that.


	5. 5: Comfort

**A/N:** We go a little serious here. Okay, so _mostly_ not-serious, but at least a _little_ serious. Thanks for the people who found Robin's parents' names for me.

**Thanks:** Still lovin' you tried and true reviewers who keep at it. ((GRIN))

_**Home: Chapter 5  
**__**Comfort  
**__**by Em**_

"_Cover me / When I walk alone / Cover me / When my stance it stumbles home..."  
_- Candlebox, Cover Me

"Ricky?"

Both Robin and Raven turned at the high pitched squeal that clearly cut through all the chatter around them. Nearly every one of the circus goers turned to look and almost all the conversations died mid-word as well.

"OhmyGOD! RICKY! It IS you!"

While Raven was searching out for the source of the squeal, mildly curious as to who could be making such a ruckus, Robin was suddenly accosted by a flying ball of pure energy vaguely shaped like a slim, petite brunette.

Sensing the jerk in Robin who was standing right next to her, Raven reacted instantly, the way she did every time they were attacked, taking a step away from Robin and dropping the purse and popcorn bag she had been holding without another thought to free up her hands. With practiced ease, she braced her feet shoulder width apart and nearly took to the air.

Until she caught sight of the brown ponytail bouncing perkily.

She smirked and relaxed. Robin was not in danger, although perhaps he might be of being hugged to death. She looked down at the spilled popcorn and sighed, he would _not_ be happy. She picked up her purse and dusted it off calmly.

"RickyitREALLYisyouPappatoldmeyouwerecomingbutIdidn'tbelievehimonebitbuthereyouare!"

Raven blinked and shook her head, as if trying to clear her hearing but it didn't make the girl's lightning-quick monologue any more comprehensible.

"Izzy, calm down, please, or I can't understand you," Robin said, laughing.

She pulled away from him and Raven caught a glimpse of a face that wasn't quite as young as she imagined it would be by the childish speech pattern and petite form. Fourteen, maybe fifteen Raven figured.

The so named Izzy took a deep breath and grinned widely, "I didn't believe it when Papa said you'd be coming..." she frowned, "Why haven't you come visit us before?"

"I couldn't, Izzy," he said softly.

"Papa said it was because of Auntie Esme and Uncle Nick..."(1) she said softly, adding almost reverently under her breath, like a prayer, "May they rest in peace."

Robin suddenly seemed to remember Raven's presence and he met her eyes over the girl's head. He smiled and she was glad to see it reached all the way to his eyes, "Isabel," he said, patting the girl's head, "This is my good friend, Rachel," he said, motioning to Raven.

Raven raised a hand and offered a small wave, "Hello."

"Rachel," Robin walked around the girl to stand next to her again, "This is Isabel, Mr. Haly's daughter."

"Haly as in," she motioned around them, "Haly's Circus?"

The girl smiled proudly and Raven noticed that her eyes were brown. "The very same."

Raven smiled, just a bit. She was supposed to be 'normal' after all. "Nice to meet you."

"Good to meet ya," Isabel answered, turning so she could look at them both. "Enjoying the show, guys?" she asked.

"Definitely," he answered.

Raven merely nodded.

Isabel turned to Robin. "Did you see Skip?" she asked, laughing. "He's gonna flip when he sees you!" she enthused, "You've gotten so tall!" she said, making a show of looking up at him.

Robin shifted his weight and just like that, his arm was touching Raven's. "But you're still a squirt, squirt," he teased.

Isabel flushed, "Hey! That's no fair! Guys grow differently than girls do and besides, Mama says it's because of the gymnastics!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure," he said dismissively, looking at Raven and then around her, as if searching for something. Raven realized what he must have been searching for because she pointed toward the floor. When his eyes found the spilled popcorn, his face fell. "Aw, damn."

Raven looked apologetic, wary of explaining why the mishap before the girl. "It sort of slipped in the excitement."

He nodded, "Nothing to it, then, we'll have to get another one."

Izzy looked from one to the other, "What happened to your popcorn?" she asked.

"Fell," Raven answered.

"Want another one?" Izzy asked helpfully.

"Yes!" Robin answered.

"And some cotton candy," Raven added.

Robin opened his mouth to argue it, but before he could, Isabel had disappeared into the crowd at the refreshment tent, and slipped behind the counter. Raven and Robin both watched as she spoke with the woman behind the counter and motioned toward them before she was loaded with the biggest bucket of popcorn and, much to Robin's dismay, the large cotton candy.

"So, did your dad send for me already or can I enjoy the rest of the show?" he asked.

Isabel waved her hand dismissively, "Go, enjoy the rest of the show," she grinned, "Just don't try and disappear afterwards. I'll hunt you down!" she promised, waving and disappearing into the crowd.

"Well, we best go find our seats," Raven said, taking the cotton candy from his hands and starting for their entrance.

"You're not going to ask, are you?" he wondered aloud once they sat down.

She didn't pretend to not know to what he was referring, "You asked me here as a comforting presence," she said easily, popping a pink wad of cotton candy into her mouth, "Not to ask you about your past."

"What if I want you to know?" he asked softly.

She turned to him, "Then you can tell me without me asking."

"Do you want to know?"

She watched him for a few moments, the candy forgotten, "Your past interests me only as far as the results it has produced," she answered thoughtfully. "If you wish to share your sadness, however, I wish to know." She exhaled and he thought she would say nothing else. And then, as if she hadn't intended to either, she spoke again, "I am here to comfort."

Robin was torn between kissing her and hugging her. Her words had not been as emotional as someone else's might have been and they certainly used not one word of emotion other than what she attributed to him. But he knew her enough to know she had tried her best to make her sentiments known and because he knew her better than anyone else, he was elated. She felt for him. He knew it now as surely as he knew his own name. He couldn't be sure those feelings were anything beyond friendship, but that she felt and was willing to try and tell him as much was more than he had hoped. He could live with friendship.

He smiled brightly at her and took some of her cotton candy. She started to protest, but then the show started and her attention was drawn to the center ring.

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**Notes:**

(1) I know I asked last time what the names of Robin's parents were, and although I was told it was John and Mary, I couldn't see those names. They're too common. So, I made some up. Esme I took from Esmeralda and Nick obviously from Nicholas. Because there was some theories that his parents were part Romany, I decided to make his mother Romany. Since the last name, Grayson, is English in origin.

**A/N:** I only have one more chapter of this already written, and you can expect that one tomorrow. Then, it'll be back to updating the other stories I have posted and this one will have to wait to be continued to be written. It isn't very difficult to write these, so I don't think it'll be too much of a problem to update somewhat regularly.

**Special Note:** So...what do you guys think of Isabel Haly? I totally made her up, and I know I have a penchant for bringing in random 'other characters' but I will spoil you this far:

SPOILER ALERT! JUST HIT REVIEW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!

Isabel is NOT going to be a jealous factor for Raven. I don't want her to be. I want her to maybe have a little girl crush on Robin, but not really like a serious thing, like she herself would ever consider him as anything more than a cute older brother, cousin, extended family member. I thought to show that by how sweet she was to Raven upon first meeting. I hope I succeeded. You guys let me know what you think about it, kay?

END SPOILER ALERT

(_Now_, hit review.)


	6. 6: Explorations

**A/N:** _WARNING_! This is the last chapter I have written and frankly, I think it might be a bit of a cliffie. I promise to continue it, but not immediately, since I have some other stories I want to update first.

**Thanks:** Thanks, all, for sticking with me.

_**Home: Chapter 6  
**__**Exploration  
**__**by Em**_

"_One never reaches home, but wherever friendly paths intersect the whole world looks like home for a time."  
_- Hermann Hesse

Later, when the show in the Big Top had ended, Robin was wary of finding out Mr. Haly right away. It wasn't _exactly_ that he didn't want to face whatever it was Haly had to say to him (and he knew now it wasn't much of an emergency because if it had been, Robin would have been asked to meet him directly rather than wait for him to be called to his office). Robin might not like whatever it was Mr. Haly had to say to him, but he could deal with it...especially with Raven at his side. Mostly, Robin didn't want to go find Mr. Haly right away because Raven was amazed at the carnival feel of the circus post show.

The Haly Circus had always done things the same way, so Robin wasn't surprised to find the thoroughfare alive with sideshows and barkers calling out their challenges to the passers by. After the big show at the Big Top, the rest of the carnival came alive. This was a part of the carnival that anyone could come see, even if you didn't pay for the show in the Big Top. It was Mr. Haly's way of providing entertainment to all people, even the poorer ones.

So, since he hadn't been called to Mr. Haly's office yet and he wasn't inclined to cut their visit to the carnival short just yet, Robin led Raven casually through the carnival.

"Step right up, folks, step right up!" the barker to their left called enthusiastically. "You'll be amazed, you'll be awed, you won't believe your eyes!"

"The Eighth Wonder of the World, my friends, that's what you'll see right inside this tent!" the barker to their right spoke, "Do _you_ have the courage to step inside, young lady?" he asked, pointing at Raven.

Raven offered the mustached barker a small smile, "No, probably not," she answered much to Robin's amusement. She continued walking, her attention being drawn to the lady dressed like a harem girl who had a long snake twirled about her waist and across her shoulders.

"Come and witness the awe inspiring power of Sabine, the Snake Charmer!" the barker next to her was declaring.

Robin smiled at the look of curiosity on Raven's face. He thought she would be drawn to seeing that act, when her attention was pulled to a tent across the way from the Snake Charmer. "The Mysteries of the Orient" was written above the flap. Raven looked a question at Robin but all he did was smile and shrug.

"They always change the sideshows," he admitted. "I don't remember this one from before."

She shrugged and started for the tent but stopped just as she reached to pull aside the flap. Robin stopped just shy of hitting her and recognizing the look on her face, looked around them for what might have pricked her empathy.

"Looks like the little Robin has flown back to the roost," spoke a deep, old voice behind them.

Robin whirled around to stare straight into the lined face of Mirela in all her gypsy glory. At noting the recognition on his face, the lines on Mirela's face cracked into a smile and she put a hand on her rather plump hip, "It's about time you came home, boy."

Robin smiled warmly and bowed gracefully, "Lady Mirela, how good to see you again!" he enthused.

"I don't believe you," she said bluntly, frowning. "You couldn't come and see an old lady?" she asked in the demanding tone of parents and grandparents. "You had to make me come find you?" she asked. Before Robin could answer, she turned to Raven who was standing at Robin's elbow. "Ah..." she said, her eyes going just slightly distant as she gently pushed Robin aside to get a better look at her. She turned a sly smile to Robin. "It seems you at least found your Raven."

Suddenly, Robin remembered the last thing Mirela had told him after his parents had died. How could he have forgotten it so thoroughly he wondered?

"This is Rachel," Robin introduced.

"This is Raven," Mirela corrected, offended that Robin would try to lie to her. "I can see that plain as the nose on your face," she said shortly. "Now come, child," she held a hand out to Raven. When Raven took it unsurely Mirela closed her soft but strong hand around her fingers and turned to Robin, "I will read the girl."

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**A/N:** The picture of Raven's outfit is going up today. Check it out on emsscraps


	7. 7: Readings

**A/N:** I like Mirela. I like her more every time I write her. Unlike some of the other characters I write, she doesn't question me or make my life difficult. I ask her for something and she gives it to me, what more can I ask? Plus, I think she handles both Robin and Raven superbly...what do you guys think?

**Thanks:** If you've asked me something, I'll respond through ff.n's review response feature. But generally, thanks to everyone.

**Special A/N:** **_PenguinPop_** on fanfiction net (**_Kiwifairy_** on deviantArt) did a picture of Raven in her outfit from this story. You can find it here: _**www . deviantart . com / deviation / 38635901 /**_ (remove the spaces, you know, like usual). Raven looked hot in my head, but boy, the way she drew her in the outfit is like perfect! I love it. Please go and let her know that you love it too. (Well, obviously only if you love it too...but at least go and check it out, yeah? Or you won't know if you like it or not.)

_**Home: Chapter 7  
**__**Readings  
**__**by Em**_

"_Home is a shelter from storms - all sorts of storms."  
_- William J. Bennett

Robin very much wanted to follow Mirela and Raven as they disappeared behind the colorful flaps of Mirela's tent, but his plan was foiled by the hand that clamped onto his shoulder.

"Rick, you bastard, where've you been all this time?"

Robin stopped and turned to look at the tallish brunette who was waiting for a sign of his recognition.

"Skip," Robin greeted.

They hugged in that half-upper body-quick-pat-on-the-back way that men had when a handshake wasn't enough. Skip grinned at him, ignoring Robin's look of impending doom. "I heard you were here with some really cute girl, where'd she go or did you lose her already?" Skip asked teasingly, looking around.

Robin turned around to find that Raven had stopped at the mouth of the flap and was looking at him and waiting. When their eyes met, Raven started to walk back toward him, but a hand on her arm stopped her. Raven turned a curious eye to Mirela.

"You don't need to be with him for this meeting, little Raven," Mirela said, a smile on her face. "He can handle this one alone."

"Perhaps, but he shouldn't have to," Raven said, not wanting to explain that being alongside him, in case he needed her, was the reason she was there.

Skip turned to find what Robin was looking at and smiled brilliantly at Raven when he caught sight of her. He waved, and when Raven offered a small wave back he turned to Robin, whistling under his breath. "She is hot!" Skip neared him in an obvious conspiratorial way, "So, you two serious or what?"

Robin glared at him and then turned back to Raven who was still waiting. He smiled lopsidedly at her and shrugged.

Raven, correctly understanding his meaning, turned on her heel and motioned Mirela to lead her on.

Mirela pulled aside the flap and motioned for Raven to enter first but when Raven walked into the tent without a backward glance, she turned to meet Robin's eyes with a knowing smile of her own.

Before Raven could ask or even think to ask what to do, Mirela motioned to a chair on one side of a smallish square table draped in a dark green cloth and breezed past it toward the back of the tent, where a compact electric burner waited on a table. Raven sat and watched as the woman went about the makings of putting on a pot of tea and waited. She had never been _'read'_ before and although she herself knew a small bit about some of the divination tools at peoples' disposal, she had never even thought of using them on herself.

After all, it wasn't as if she had ever needed to. Up until just recently, she had known _exactly _what the future had in store for her.

Of course, _that_ hadn't turned out like she had thought it would, but she knew that most foretelling was about a general feeling, one possibility that is more probable than the dozen other possibilities.

So, Raven waited, wondering what to say, if anything. Mirela put a delicate looking white china cup and saucer before her on the table, and one in front of the other chair then calmly sat waiting for the water to boil.

"So," Mirela began conversationally, "What do you want to ask me?"

Raven noticed that she hadn't asked what Raven wanted to know, like most of those of her profession tended to ask. There really wasn't anything she wanted to ask. Instead, she raised a brow, "You brought me here, Lady," Raven said respectfully.

Mirela smiled knowingly. "No, little one," she shook her head. "Richard brought you here," she said. "But that is neither here nor there." She leaned in toward Raven. "You have many questions in your soul, I can feel them, I simply want to know which you think I can answer."

Raven nodded, "I appreciate the offer, but I have lived most of my life with the knowledge of a future hanging over me," she admitted. "Now that the future is blessedly unknown, I wish to keep it so."

Mirela smiled brightly, showing teeth so perfect they could only be fake. "Then why not ask about the past?" she wondered, "Or the present?"

Raven though, "The past is unimportant and the present resolves itself."

Mirela narrowed her eyes, "You do not believe that." There was absolutely no doubt in her voice, no question, only a bit of surprise and amusement.

There was a moment, a beat, where both looked at each other, and then Raven smiled. Not a brilliant one, not even a half smile, just a relaxation of her lips, a slight curve to the edges of her mouth, but for Raven, it was a smile and for Mirela, it was more than enough.

"No, I don't," Raven answered.

Mirela laughed, loudly and fully.

Before she could say anything else however, the kettle boiled and Mirela stood to tend to it. "Does Richard still detest the taste of tea?" Mirela asked seemingly out of the blue.

Raven was a bit taken aback by the question, not because she didn't know the answer to it, but because she was surprised someone else did. "Most definitely."

Mirela chuckled and shook her head. "I'm afraid that might have been my fault," Mirela admitted.

"How so?" Raven asked.

Mirela turned, the matching teapot in her hands. "He grew to associate tea with upset stomach because I would give him tea to drink when he felt ill."

"He's such a boy."

Mirela chuckled. "Ever since he was born," she agreed.

Raven watches as Mirela poured the tea, straining the leaves only out of her own cup. "Have you known Richard long?" Raven asked.

"From _before_ he was born."

Raven took a moment to think about that and the implications it might suggest.

Mirela smiled, "I told Esmeralda Richard was coming before even she knew."

Raven looked down at her tea, taking a moment to breathe the sweet chai blend.

"But enough about this," Mirela announced suddenly. She motioned the tea in Raven's hand. "If you will not ask a specific question of me, then drink, little one," she nodded encouragingly at her, "clear your mind of all thoughts and we shall see what the gods wish to tell you."

Raven was skeptical for a moment, not about the fact that the gods would tell her something or in the validity of the process itself, but in wanting to know what the gods might want to tell her in the first place.

Still, she closed her eyes and exhaled, clearing her mind in much the same way she did when she went into a light state of meditation and when she had that moment when it felt as if she were not really a part of her own consciousness, she drank.

Mirela's hand on hers around the teacup stopped her and snapped her out of her light trance. "You are familiar with meditation and trances," she said approvingly.

"I meditate a lot," was all Raven answered.

Mirela smiled and when Raven put the cup down in front of her, only a small amount of tea left at the bottom of the cup, Mirela reached out with her left hand to take the handle. A look of deep concentration came over Mirela's features as she ritualistically swirled the tea in the cup counterclockwise three times. Then, with a flick of the wrist, she dumped out the remaining tea into a trash container of some sort at her feet and set the cup down in front of her. Raven could see the dark smallish blobs of tea leaves stuck to the bottom and sides of the cup so she waited.

"Hmmm," Mirela said, leaning over the cup, concentrating on the symbols she saw there. She turned her head this way and that and, finally seeming to decide, took up the cup from the left, turning it around and up to her face. "Mmm," she mumbled, turning the cup. "Yes, yes," she said under her breath. "Yes, I see..." she continued to speak to herself. "That's to be expected..." she nodded. "And that goes without saying..." she added, laughter in her voice and in her expression.

Raven, meanwhile, was watching with a mixture between amusement and consideration.

"Wait, what?" Mirela asked, louder than she had been speaking. She frowned and turned the cup another way, then turned it back the original way. She looked away from the cup to Raven and blinked, then back at the cup, nearing it and frowning some more.

Now Raven was really wondering what the woman was seeing in the leaves because that wasn't exactly a good reaction.

"Is that...well, I"ll be..." Mirela mused, sighing heavily. She put the cup down with considerable determination and seemed to glare at Raven, although not really angrily, but almost frustrated. She extended her hand before Raven and Raven had a moment of complete confusion. "Your hand, child," Mirela demanded.

Raven extended her left hand and Mirela cocked her head to the side, "Come now..." Mirela chided.

Raven blushed at the mild reproof and took back her left hand, offering Mirela her right instead. Raven did, in fact, know that most palmists read the person's dominant hand generally.

Mirela took it and pulled so that Raven had to lean forward almost halfway across the table while Mirela tried to get a look at her palm in the right light and the right angle. She trailed the tip of a well manicured nail down the middle of her palm, tracing one of the lines there, then shifted the perspective and gazed at another line. Finally, she kept her finger on a part of the line and exhaled. "Yes, here," she moved it and nodded, as if she had just received confirmation of what she had thought all along. "And here, so..." she looked up and met Raven's expression inquiringly. "Why do you still doubt him, child?" she asked her directly.

Raven blinked in total confusion for a few moments, glancing down at her hand which Mirela still held and back at the tea cup she had set aside as if trying to figure out what exactly Mirela was asking about. "Pardon?" she asked, finally deciding she couldn't figure it out on her own.

Mirela sighed and let her hand go. "When Richard's dear parents (may they rest in peace) left this earth, I read for him," she said in that no-nonsense way only those of a certain age could ever manage. "He was certain that he would never love or be loved again, you see," she explained. She shrugged with one shoulder and crossed her arms across her ample bosom. "He was a child, very young, of course, and confused about this new life he was going into, for the rich man from Gotham was to take him away the next day." She smiled reminiscently. "He did not understand there were other forms of love then," she said knowingly. "But I read for him and because that was what he was worried about the most, I saw his future in that context." She leaned back, "You will find someone who you will go through hell for, I told him." She locked her knowing gaze with Raven's. "You will find someone for whom you will join hands with your worst enemy merely for the chance to find her again."

Raven leaned back as if the woman's words were physical and could hurt her if she sat too close. No one knew what the Titans had done after Trigon's brief release on this dimension. For the people of Jump City, it had seemed as if nothing had happened, none of their time had been interrupted and those few hours while Trigon had reigned were regained by Raven's power so the denizens of Jump had never been any wiser of how close they had come to being annihilated. And even the Titans themselves didn't know what Robin had had to go through to find Raven. They had never spoken of it. She herself might not have known that Robin had joined with Slade to find her had not Starfire told her of it months later. How could this woman know of such things?

"He didn't believe me at the time," Mirela went on, paying very close attention to the reaction her words was causing in Raven. "But you are she, are you not?" Mirela asked. "And I see that this thing has already come to pass, I see that clear as day on your palm," she motioned to the guilty appendage. "And yet your leaves tell me that you still doubt his feelings for you." She cocked her head to the side, considering Raven closely. "Did he not brave the fires of hell itself to bring you back from the demon's clutches?" she asked. "Did he not carry you when you could not walk? Protect you when you would have been harmed? Believed in you when you doubted?" She leaned closer, "Was he not the one who brought you back, child?"

Raven was having a hard time stopping her emotions from reacting inside her. It was all she could do to whisper a rough, "He was."

"Then why do you doubt?" Mirela pressed.

Raven swallowed passed the lump in her throat and exhaled, "He did no more than he would have done for any of us." She shook her head, determined. "I do not doubt his friendship, Lady, or even his love for me as a friend," Raven said, her voice gaining strength as she gained conviction. "But if it is a romantic sort of love you are insinuating he feels for me, then it is _that_ I doubt."

Mirela shook her head and leaned back. "I can only tell you what I saw and what I felt when I read for him, little one," she admitted. "And what these long years have taught me," she added, "is that Richard loves you, as a friend, _and_ as someone he cannot imagine his life without," she shrugged that one shoulder gallic shrug again. "However you interpret that, of course, is up to you."

Before Raven could further comment, Mirela reached into a concealed pocket in the side of her colorful skirt and removed a silk wrapped square. Raven knew it must be a deck of cards and so she waited.

With gentle calm, Mirela pulled aside the folds of the silk to reveal the square deck of cards held inside. She picked up the cards and caressed the top of them with her thumb for a moment before placing them before Raven. "Shuffle please."

Raven knew it would be rude or pointless to argue, so she did as the older woman requested. She also knew she didn't have to shuffle so very much, so she shuffled the strange deck once or twice and then placed it back in front of herself.

"Now, we answer a question of mine, shall we?" Mirela asked, taking the cards in her hands expertly. "Such as why you don't believe he's capable of loving you in a romantic way."

Raven frowned and watched and wondered why she was getting that sense she got when she knew that things were about to change.

And everyone knew how she felt about change.


	8. 8: Questions and Answers

**A/N:** I started this one at least two weeks ago. I got a lot of it down and then, upon a re-reading, didn't like some of it and thought it felt forced. I put it on the backburner so that I could look at it again with a fresh eye. When I did, I didn't like it. So, I waited and got involved in other things (real life related) and haven't looked at it since then. I looked it over now and still feel like it's forced. I like what happens, but I don't think I like my execution of it. I think it might be that I've been working with it in one form or another for too long now. In any case, I don't like this chapter. I'm dissatisfied with it. I hope you guys enjoy it at least.

Especially since it's been so long since I've updated anything.

Which reminds me: sorry to throw you guys off what had been my groove of posting something pretty regularly.

I'm having to get back into the knack of working and writing both. It isn't like when I was a receptionist, since then I didn't have to think while I was at work, just answer the phone, and hence, my stories would want to come out. In my job now, I actually spend all day thinking. (_Go figure!_)

Anyway, I have a draft of the next chapter of Stupid Cupid and a beginning for the next chapter of Burn as well, so you can expect something from those soon, too.

Also, I posted some drabbles on my 'emsscraps' that I'm considering putting up on my fanfiction dot net account eventually. But it's a series of like 50 themes or something and although I have the first ten, I won't be putting those up until after I get the next ten at least written. But if you want to read them, you can go find them on my 'emsscraps' journal.

**Thanks:** Overall, thank you to everyone who keeps reviewing my stuff (crappy though it may be) and thanks for all the support and the love. ((GRIN)) Individually, I'll use ff.n's review response feature if you've asked me a question or if I have something specific to say. But I do appreciate them all, I really do. ((HUGS reviews to herself))

_**Home, Chapter 8  
**__**Questions and Answers  
**__**by Em**_

"_Going home must be like going to render an account."  
_- Joseph Conrad

"So." Robin's musings were interrupted by Skip's voice. "How's life been treating ya, kid?"

Robin spared Skip a sidelong glance. "Good," he answered.

Skip grinned knowingly at him. "I'd say you're more than just good if you've got a girl like that."

Robin frowned. He knew he was being goaded, but couldn't see a way out of it. If he said Raven _was_ his girl, Skip would undoubtedly make some sort of comment in front of Raven which would put him in an incredibly bad position. Not to mention, Skip would still tease him about it. Skip and whoever else he told. (Which would probably be the entire circus troupe). If, however, he said she wasn't his girl, then Skip might just make a play for her and Robin wasn't sure enough that Raven had been just joking about her interest in the young lion tamer to be comfortable with _that_ possibility.

Left to his own devices, he wouldn't have one doubt as to what to say to Skip with regards to Raven. _Stay away from her or I'll break your fingers_ being only one of the options that flit across his head. That he didn't say that or anything else wasn't because he was under any pretenses as to whether or not he was jealous about Skip hitting on Raven – he didn't have to be the apprentice of the Dark Knight to figure out that he didn't want Raven's attention on anyone that wasn't...well, _him_.

No, Robin didn't tell Skip exactly how he felt about Raven because he didn't think it was his place to tell anyone anything about Raven before he figured out how what he was going to do about it himself. Why should he tell anyone other than Raven how he felt about Raven?

Not that he knew _exactly_ how he felt about Raven.

"She's not my girl." he couldn't believe he was actually going to tell him the truth. At Skip's raised brows, and interested smile, he narrowed his eyes. "Don't get any ideas, though."

"Well, if you don't want her --"

"I never said that, did I?" Robin interrupted with enough feeling Skip faltered in the quick comeback. Enough to give Robin the chance to continue. And he probably would have if not for the sudden vague feeling that drew his eye back to the unmoving flap of Lady Milena's tent. He fully expected Raven to step out, but when moments passed and she didn't, Skip took the opportunity to speak.

"So, what is that supposed to mean?" Skip challenged. "If you are interested in her, you've gotta make it clear, man, I thought you knew that already?"

"It means," Robin started, clearly annoyed, "that my relationship with Rachel is complicated."

"So, there _is_ a relationship, then?" Skip countered, crossing his arms.

_'Depends who you ask,_' Robin thought, but aloud, shook his head. "There's friendship."

Skip made a scoffing noise loud enough to be heard across the crowded thoroughfare. He clucked his tongue and shook his head disappointedly. "Friendship only mucks up the waters, kid, you should've learned that by now, you're about 18 now, aren't you?"

Robin narrowed his eyes. He had forgotten what it felt like to be treated like the younger brother. He wasn't sure he enjoyed being reminded. "Friendship does NOT muck up any waters," he defended.

"Sure it does...it's done that here, hasn't it?" Skip asked with a knowing glance. "She considers you her friend," he made the word sound like a curse word, "and you tell yourself that you don't want to chance loosing that friendship so you don't make a move even though you obviously think of her as more than a friend." He shrugged. "At least, that's what you tell yourself, anyway, cause every guy who's ever been in your position knows that it isn't losing the friendship that you're afraid of, it's losing her at all." He didn't look one bit sorry about being so blunt about it all. "So, like I said," he continued into Robin's shocked silence. "Friendship mucks up the waters."

_'Losing her at all_?' Robin wondered. Had the possibility that he might lose Raven at some point crossed his mind? He didn't think it had. After all, as a general rule, he tried very hard to _not_ think about his feelings for Raven if he could help it. It wasn't easy keeping feelings from an empath.

_Losing Raven. _The words echoed like her mantra through his conscious so loudly he lost track of what Skip was saying. Why would he ever lose Raven? There was no reason for him to lose her – none at all – not if he didn't scare her away. Not if he didn't do anything stupid. Friendship was comfortable.

Maybe Skip was right.

"Earth to Grayson?"

Distracted, Robin turned, "What?"

Skip rolled his eyes. "Your girl," he raised his hands before Robin could correct him, "excuse me, your _interest_," he corrected himself with a heavy dose of humor in his voice. "What does _she_ think about all this?" he repeated a question he had obviously already asked.

Robin faltered for a moment. Even if he knew what Raven might think of any bit of anything that had happened from the moment he asked her to come to the circus, he wasn't sure what he would say to Skip about it.

After what seemed like an eternity, Robin said the first thing that occurred to him, "She likes the cotton candy."

Skip laughed and shook his head. "So she's got a sweet tooth?" Skip asked, still laughing. "That's so hot."

Robin glared at him but only half-heartedly because Skip was right. "You have _no_ idea," Robin admitted.

Skip laughed again and they fell silent for another bit. Robin was about to attempt to change the subject by asking Skip how _his_ love life was faring, but Skip preempted him and spoke again.

"She's probably smart, too, huh?" Skip decided.

"Definitely," Robin answered decisively, leaning against the picnic table with the best, most unobstructed view of Milena's tent.

If Robin would've been watching Skip instead of the tent, as a matter of fact, he might have been slightly worried by the grin that split the lion tamer's face. "I bet she's smarter than you are, huh?" he asked.

Robin only smiled in a way Skip had been afraid might never cross the younger boy's face ever again. "I have absolutely no doubt about that," Robin answered.

There was a moment of silence before Skip laughed loudly, "Woohoo, boy, have _you_ got it _bad_!"

Robin turned to him, annoyed suddenly the way he could only ever be at someone who knew him so well. "Just because I know she's more intelligent than I am?"

"No," Skip was still laughing, which continued to annoy Robin to no end. "Just because you admit that she's smarter than you."

Robin frowned. "I admit nothing."

Skip shrugged, "You don't need to admit anything," he crossed his arms. "It's obvious how bad you've got it.."

"It is not," Robin said instinctively, then, amended, "I do not." He had forgotten that he didn't want Skip to think Raven was fair game as far as Skip was concerned. But Skip reminded him.

"You don't?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "So do you think she might enjoy a late dinner?"

"That's not what I meant," Robin answered through grit teeth.

"Then what did you mean?" Skip pressed logically.

Robin opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The truth was, he didn't know. "I don't know," he admitted.

Skip laughed again. "Bullshit, man," he said simply. "You always know, that's just who you are, you've always known exactly what you wanted out of life, Rich, you just have." He pointed at him. "You know, you just might not want to face it, but you know," he poked his chest, "Somewhere in here you know." Skip shrugged and leaned back against the picnic table they were standing against, crossing his arms again. "Just like you know why you never made your way back here before."

Robin recognized a chance to change the subject when he heard one and even though he didn't necessarily want to discuss his reasons for staying away from the circus, he supposed anything was better than discussing his feelings about Raven with Skip of all people.

"This place is full of memories, man," Robin answered, shaking his head. "Memories I wasn't sure I could face." And that was about as much as he was willing to say and he hoped Skip understood that. He was a lot more perceptive than he remembered.

"Alone."

Robin looked at Skip and raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

"You meant to say that the circus was full of memories you couldn't face _alone_, didn't you?" Skip asked.

Robin thought about arguing, but sighed, shrugging instead. "Yeah," he admitted.

Skip smiled and Robin couldn't help but smile back. "See, I told you you had it bad."

Robin opened his mouth to argue but stopped and turned around just as Raven stepped up to him. "Have what bad?" she asked in the sudden silence, her gaze searching first Robin, then Skip and back again.

"Jealousy," Skip answered, grinning. "I'm trying to get him to admit that he was always jealous of me when he was a kid."

Robin smiled at him, just barely getting his heart rate back under control before Raven could figure out why it was beating so fast. "In your dreams, piss boy."

Raven raised a brow at Robin and he smiled, he thought, charmingly, back at her. "Piss boy?" Raven asked.

Skip groaned. "Once," he said, raising the appropriate number of fingers. "I lost control of my bladder _once_ out of fear when I was 6." He turned to Raven. "A six year old is just barely out of diapers as it is, right?" he asked.

"Barely," she agreed.

Robin glared at Raven. "You're not supposed to agree with him," he pointed out meaningfully.

Raven shrugged nearly imperceptibly, "I am only agreeing with the logic, Richard," she said in as close a tone of innocence as she ever took on.

"Logic," Robin smiled wryly, "Of course."

"I knew I liked you, Rache," Skip said. "And because I do, I'll take you on a tour of the place, how about it?" he asked.

"No."

"Sure."

Robin and Raven answered simultaneously. They looked at each other for a few minutes, Raven raising a questioning brow and Robin stubbornly stoic.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Rick," Skip said in the voice that fooled no one as to his sincerity, "You want to be alone with your girlfriend, of course," Skip said joyfully. Raven blinked, her eyes still on Robin and Robin blushed, too busy internally calling Skip every dirty name he knew in several languages to even think about saying anything aloud. "I'll tell Mr. Haly you'll be there in an hour or so after you finish looking around, alright?" Skip looked at each of the two. Robin turned to give Skip the evil eye and Raven's blank stare was only slightly less scary. "Alright, see ya kids!" Skip said, disappearing into the crowd.

_'Wait until Izzie hears that they didn't deny it,' _Skip thought to himself as he walked to the office tent.

Meanwhile, Raven and Robin were still staring at each other.

"That was your friend Skip, huh," Raven said monotonously.

"Sorry," Robin offered.

Raven shrugged.

"You want to go into the fun house now?" Robin asked.

"Yes, I would," Raven answered.

Robin motioned the area and Raven fell into step alongside him.


	9. 9: Navigating the Maze

**A/N:** I feel much better about this one than I did the last chapter of this, I dunno why. I rather like how things turned out here. The end of this story is ONE CHAPTER AWAY! ((dum, dum, duuuuuuum!!)) I'd been working on this one for a few days now, and it hasn't really been beta'd. I looked it over, but honestly, I'm so tired of re-reading it for actual plot content, I feel like my eyes won't pick up any spelling or grammar issues. SO, if you guys feel up to playing, 'spot the grammar/spelling mistake' with this chapter, feel free. I'll appreciate it.

**Thanks:** Overall, to everyone who reviewed the craptastic last chapter and made me feel _slightly_ better about its worth. If you've asked me a specific question, I'll respond via PM.

**Special Note:** This chapter is dedicated to two wonderful people: **_Guyute24_**, for reading over it a few times for me to make sure I was heading in the right direction, plot wise. **_GuardianKysra_** for assuring me that it's good and ready to post and letting me talk her ear off as to what I should do next in any particular aspect of the story. AND, also to everyone who picked up on my not-so-subtle skipping over of Raven's reading with Lady Milena last chapter.

_**Home, Chapter 9  
Navigating the Maze  
by Em**_

"_Where thou art, that, is Home."  
_- Emily Dickinson

"He doesn't smell like wet animal."

Robin was so surprised by her sudden comment that he smacked into the clear glass wall, which he would have known was blocking his path if he would have kept up his hands the way he had intended to. "Who?" he asked, rubbing absently at his forehead.

Raven extended a hand to their right and finding the path clear, walked ahead of him. He hurried to follow, extending his hands against the clear walls of the glass-house maze. "You're talking about Skip?" he asked as he came up behind her.

She kept her eyes on the walls of the maze as she walked carefully. "You said he smelled like wet animal, but he doesn't."

"So, he took a shower," Robin replied, finding the clear path before she did and tugging on her shirt to motion the direction she was heading.

"And you were assuming he wouldn't shower if he asked me out?" she asked from very close behind him.

Robin stopped so suddenly, Raven collided against his back, her hands flattening against his shoulder blades to steady herself before she could topple them both onto the ground. He looked at her over his shoulder, his expression unreadable in the strange glass-house light. "Why the sudden interest?" he asked.

"Why the hedging?" she countered.

"I'm not hedging," he argued, turning back to the wall of glass in front of him and extending his arms to his sides, looking for an alternate route.

Once again, she found one before he did and she took a step back away from him, turning to their right and starting haltingly down the way when a hand gripping the back of her collar stopped her. She turned to raise an eyebrow at him. "This is the way," she said, motioning the lack of glass.

"So is this," he motioned the path just north-west of their location which was also glassless.

She frowned, "Well, what do we do now?" she asked, more really, to herself than to him.

"Maybe Mirela told you what path we'd be taking in the future?" he offered casually.

Raven looked at him consideringly, "She told me many things about the past and the present, but nothing about the future," she admitted.

"Oh?" he wondered, affecting cool disinterest.

"And unless you want to be here until well into next week, I say you ask me what she told me so I can tell you it's none of your business and we can get on with trying to solve this fun-house, what do you think?" she asked.

"Who said I wanted to know what she told you?" he asked, starting for the corridor he had discovered.

She followed him and he saw the shadow of her reflection in the glass before him as she shrugged. "Whatever," she said, pulling back on his shirt before he could smack into a glass panel he had thought must be the clear path. She started down the correct path and spoke to him over her shoulder, "Maybe you're just trying to change the subject."

"From?" he questioned.

"Skip."

He reached out, took hold of the back of her collar, and pulled her back. It wasn't very hard or rough, but seeing as how she wasn't expecting it, he was able to use his other hand to bring her around to face him and push her against the glass at her back before she was able to catch her balance. He leaned in, catching her eyes, noting the surprise in her expression before she could hide it behind a cool countenance.

"Do you really want Skip to ask you out?" he asked, his voice low and..._different_.

Raven cocked her head to the side a bit as if she were trying to gain more information from the different perspective. "Not particularly," she admitted.

He broke the stare and pushed away from the wall, turning his back on her and starting to walk away. "So, why'd you bring him up, then?" he asked when he was certain she had followed him.

"Just curious as to why you would say he smells like wet animal when he doesn't," she replied logically, her voice back to its monotonous norm. She stopped when he did, careful not to repeat her previous collision incident and met his gaze when he turned back to glance at her. "I figured it was better than asking you about why you keep avoiding going to see Mr. Haly, even though he's the reason you're here."

"Do you want to know?" he asked.

He heard Raven stop walking behind him, so he stopped too and after a moment, turned around to face her full on. "I think I do."

"Why?" he asked, taking back the steps he had taken away from her. "Why'd you come with me without knowing where I'd take you?"

It was a minor thing, Raven's smile, just the slight release of tension to the curve of her lips, the spark of something that might be emotion in her eyes. "You helped me with my family issues," she shrugged, "This was the least I could do."

He smiled at her in return and accepted her answer, even though he knew it wasn't complete. "Mr. Haly could only ask me back here if it had to do with my parents," he answered her. "I'm not sure what about them."

"It's not like you to avoid something just because you don't like it or aren't sure of it," Raven mused.

Robin couldn't help but smile at the insight into how she saw him. "If it were a villain, I'd probably be all over it," he admitted. "Emotional stuff, though?" he shrugged and turned back to finding their way through the glass maze.

"Then that's another thing we have in common," she spoke, following him.

He offered her a teasing smile over his shoulder, "Are you keeping score?"

She raised her brows, "Of the amount of times you've almost knocked into a glass wall?" she asked innocently. When he frowned, she did that almost smile thing again.

"Skip and I always had quite a rivalry going," he spoke into their comfortable silence. "So, that's why I said he smelled like wet animal," he finally answered her initial question. "We were always calling each other names and stuff like that." He glanced back at her and grinned. "Force of habit, I guess."

"So that's why you told him I was your girlfriend?"

Robin might have smacked into the glass wall again if he hadn't already felt for the glass before she spoke. "I never told him you were my girlfriend," he said when he was able.

"Then why did he think I was?" she asked, her voice as calm and unemotional as ever. He found the path to their right and started walking. She followed.

"He just assumed, I guess."

"You guess?" she pressed.

"Okay," he exhaled. "So, I know. He did assume it," he corrected himself. "Because we were together."

"And when you corrected him?" she asked.

"I didn't," he answered after deciding on a path to take which curved to the left and led them on a rather broad curving pattern, ending right where they had started.

He turned around and motioned for her to search the area around her, which she would normally have been doing if she wasn't staring at him instead. "Why didn't you?" she asked.

"Why didn't you?" he countered.

"He's your friend," she answered with a shrug.

"So," he stopped and turned to face her slowly. "I could have told him you were my girlfriend and you wouldn't have minded?"

"I didn't say I wouldn't have minded," she corrected calmly.

"No?"

"No." She confirmed. "I didn't correct him because he is your friend, and implied in that is that I would not want to make a liar out of you in front of your friend, in case you _had_ told him I was."

"That's interesting," he said vaguely to which she replied by turning around and starting to feel around for an unblocked corridor.

"So," he spoke from behind her. "You _would_ have minded?" he thought about his question and hastened to correct it, "I mean, you don't mind?"

She turned to raise a brow at him over her shoulder.

"That Skip thinks we're going out?" he clarified.

"Which brings me back to why you didn't correct him?" she said, not answering his question at all.

Robin stopped her from walking and reached around her to touch a panel to the right of where she was going. "I think we were going around in circles," he explained. He pointed in the direction she was heading. "That path leads us around in circles."

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" she asked before he could take the new path.

He looked at her, wondering if they were talking about the same thing. "Why should I?" he asked.

"Because you're the Boy Wonder," she answered, as close to flippantly as she ever got. She took the new path and waited until he caught up behind her to speak again. "And plus, this is your old stomping ground," she said. "I'm really just following your lead."

He stopped walking and she, hearing it, stopped and turned to look at him. "Why?" he asked.

"Because I trust you," she answered simply.

For some reason, he heard Skip's words in his head like an echo. Staring at Raven from halfway across a glass hallway, her staring at him as if the answer were obvious if he just knew where to look, he suddenly realized that Skip _had _been right...damn him all to hell.

He _did_ know what he wanted.

Just like that, he knew.

He wanted Raven.

He probably loved her.

He was so shocked, he wouldn't have been at all surprised if his jaw managed to touch the floor. In retrospect, he probably shouldn't have been at all shocked or surprised. He had known he was attracted to her for quite some time now, and he'd always known he liked spending time with her, but this jealousy – jealousy of someone other than their friends which he could always excuse as the jealousies of a friend – was new.

And, although he might be oblivious sometimes, and certainly hard-headed and stubborn, Robin was, on the whole, straightforward. "I don't want you to date Skip."

She looked almost confused. She shook her head and turned around to continue down the path, "I never said I wanted to date Skip," she told him. "I was only curious as to why you were so adamant about putting him down." She didn't give him a chance to speak, despite the fact that she could feel him behind her. "But now I know it's because of that rivalry between you two."

He reached out and took hold of her upper arm, being exceedingly careful not to be as sudden as he'd been the last time when he urged her to turn around and face him. He was, as always, surprised to catch the full effect of her lavender gaze boring into his as she looked up at him. "It's not just the rivalry and it's not just Skip," he said slowly, carefully selecting his words as he spoke them.

For a few moments, they remained immobile, staring into each other, both of their expressions almost impassive, certainly waiting. "Do you want to know what Milena said to me?" she asked into the silence.

"I don't care," he answered.

"Milena told me that she read for you when you were a child," Raven said, as if he hadn't answered, or had, at least, answered in the affirmative. "Before you left with Bruce Wayne."

He blinked in shock. "What?" he asked.

"You don't remember?" she wondered.

"I remember that night," he allowed. "I remember she gave me hot chocolate and I remember being warm and sad and scared that I was leaving everything I ever knew."

"Do you remember telling her you thought you'd never be loved again?" Raven asked softly.

And although he hadn't thought of it in years, he suddenly did remember. "She told you all that?" he asked, his own voice as soft as hers.

Raven nodded, the action bringing her hair just under his nose so he could smell the clean scent of the shampoo she had used. He loved that Raven never used perfume smelling shampoos or lotions or soaps.

"Seems to me she spent an awful lot of time talking about me during _your_ reading," he mused. "What did she tell you about you?" he asked, making certain to keep his tone light and casual.

"She said," Raven started, but she paused to inhale a deep breath, obviously needing to gather herself for what she was going to say. "She said I was being stubborn and blind," she answered. "I seem to recall the use of metaphors and smilies referring to donkey rears and flying mammals known for their lack of eyesight and penchants for dark places."

Robin couldn't help it: he smiled. Not only because he really could picture Lady Milena's colorful use of language but because he was starting to grasp, in that way it seemed only he could, what Raven was saying even without saying.

Raven lowered her gaze from his and looked at a spot beyond his shoulder. " She said I was being a coward and that you would know the fate that befalls cowards who hesitate."

Robin smiled even broader, but had to swallow once to be able to speak, "Did she tell you what you were being afraid of?" he asked.

She turned just slightly and their eyes met, drawn together like magnets. "She didn't have to."

"So," he leaned a little closer to her, thrilling when she didn't pull away. "Does that mean you're going to ask me why I don't want you to date anyone, including Skip?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him, "I wasn't sure you knew why you didn't want me to date anyone."

Robin's expression grew serious and pensive. "I know exactly why I'm jealous of any bit of attention you offer to anyone that's not me," he admitted, enunciating clearly, so as to prevent even one bit of confusion as to his words.

And into that tension filled silence entered the distinct sound of a child's whine.

"But the fireworks are starting _now!"_

"Right now?" asked a slightly older voice.

"Like, _now_ now!" the child answered.

Robin, surprisingly enough, straightened, eyes growing wide. He looked at the watch on his wrist and cursed, "I forgot about the fireworks!" he told her. "Come on," he grabbed her hand and started pulling her expertly through the corridors.

Raven, for her part, was too surprised by his actions to wonder about how he managed to find the way out of the maze in less than five minutes flat without once having to pause, bumping into anything, or having to feel about. She was so surprised at the swift change of mood, as a matter of fact, that he had led her out of the funhouse, through the carnival thoroughfare and to a less traversed, darker area of the circus, where she could hear the small sounds of the animals before she even though to ask where he was taking her.

"Only _the_ best place to watch the fireworks, of course," he answered as he held some wires down so she could step over them.

"Back with the animals?" she questioned, unconvinced.

He laughed, "Just beyond it, actually." He took her hand to help her step over some overgrown roots and then led her through the copse of trees into a clearing where the sky was big and wide above them and it almost seemed like they were very far away from civilization.

"Can we even see the fireworks from here?" she wondered as he stepped away and started for the small hill in the center.

He stopped to look back at her, "Trust me?"

She followed without further comment, climbing the small hill with relatively few problems in his wake. At the top of the hill, Robin was waiting for her, looking down. She stood next to him and looked down, seeing the lights and movement of the circus just slightly below them.

"I used to come up here all the time when I was a kid," he announced. "It was fun to pretend I was from somewhere else, somebody else, sometimes." He chuckled, but there wasn't much mirth in it. "And now I am."

"Where we love is home," Raven said, slowly, gazing fixedly on the circus below, "Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." She turned to look at him and at his raised brow, might have blushed. "Oliver Wendell Holmes said that," she explained. "Not me."

He smiled at her and her wariness eased. "If you could go back to Azarath one day," he wondered, "Would you?"

"Azarath is dead," she announced, her tone monotonous, the way it always was when emotion might otherwise slip in if unchecked. She saw him turn back to the circus out of the corner of her eye and, despite herself, continued to speak. "It was not always pleasant for me there," she admitted. "But it was home for a very long time because my mother was there." He was silent, listening to her voice though his eyes remained on the circus below, the people leaving the circus, some finding places to stand and watch the fireworks and the people in charge of the fireworks, some that he recognized, going about their weekly routine. She turned to look at him and let her eyes scan his face, searching for comprehension of what she was trying to say. "I wouldn't visit Azarath even if I could," she finally answered, "Because the people that really made that place home for me are dead," her voice was so blank and he was incredibly surprsied she was saying so much, almost breathing might snap her out of whatever trance had brought such confessions on, "But," she continued, "if I had people there I still cared about, then yes," she finished, "I think I would want to visit it, even if I wouldn't really consider those people my home any longer."

"Why not?" he asked.

She shrugged and looked back at the circus below. She thought over her feelings, feelings she hadn't thought of ever really exploring since she had tried to flee back to Azarath as a way of escaping her destiny to find what had become of it. She was tempted to change the subject and refuse to answer, spare herself the trouble of examining these strange emotions, but she knew he needed this from her now and she couldn't refuse him. "Even though I think fondly on it, and although it once _was_ home..." she trailed off, thinking of how she should say what was in her heart to say, "Now," she spoke into that silence, "My home is with you," she finished. He turned to look at her and although she could see it out of the corner of her eye, she didn't turn to face him. "The Titans are my home," she continued, "and wherever you go, my home goes with it."

Before he could speak, the first pop and flash ripped the sky, exploding into a flash of gold above them. Robin took her hand and started to sit down, she followed and they ended up sitting next to each other, her hand nestled in his.

For awhile, they sat in silence, watching the colorful fire light the night sky above them, perfectly situated so that they were almost directly beneath where the fireworks exploded, and yet far enough away so that their enjoyment wasn't interrupted by the lights and noise of the circus below.

Eventually, after a few moments, Raven spoke. "You knew your way out of that glass house all along, didn't you?" she asked.

"No, of course not," he answered seriously.

She looked at him, raising her brows incredulously, demanding his honesty. Before he could help it, he smirked in response. "Lucky guesses?" he tried.

Her brows inched up a bit further on her forehead, "Just admit it, you just wanted to see if I could get out of there with you trying to mess me up every step of the way."

He laughed. "I did no such thing," he denied adamantly. "That was not my reason for it at all."

She smirked, "So you _admit_ that you knew the way out and didn't use it on purpose, do you?"

He laughed even harder, "I admit no such thing," he denied just as adamantly. He chuckled at the look on her face as if she would be saying 'bullshit' if Raven were the type to say such things. "Okay, so maybe I knew the way out, but!" he hurried to speak when she would have interrupted him, "_Only _once I realized how close to the end we were, I swear."

"Whatever," she allowed, turning back to gazing at the fireworks.

Robin watched the colors flit on her face and smiled, unconsciously wrapping his fingers more comfortably around hers. She responded by leaning her shoulder a little against his shoulder.

"This _is_ a good spot to watch the fireworks," she admitted.

"Told you so," he said, not at all heatedly.

She scoffed, but made no further comment, her expression opening into one of almost amazement as several red, blue, and white starbursts spread suddenly.

He leaned a little against her and spoke before really thinking it. "Thank you."

She turned her head to look at him, notably not pulling away from where their shoulders touched. "For what?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"For coming here with me today," he said seriously, his thumb unconsciously caressing the back of her hand.

Raven shrugged and looked away, "I did nothing."

Robin shifted his fingers under her hand and she unconsciously shifted to accommodate him and before they knew it, their fingers were entwined, their palms touching. His eyes never left her face, however, so he was able to see the change in her eyes as this change did not go by unnoticed. "Just being here with me has done more than you can realize."

Raven's eyes never left his and he could see the way the color of the fireworks still going on above them reflected and mingled with the dark purple of her eyes. "We still need to see Mr. Haly," she spoke softly.

Robin nodded and turned back to watch the last of the fireworks without saying anything more, and as he let himself feel the warmth of her hand in his, it occurred to him that she had said 'we' and not 'you'.

_xxxxxxxxxxxx_

**A/N:** So, whaddya think? Worth the wait or not? One more chapter to go! Woot.


	10. 10: Clarity

**A/N:** We're in the home stretch here, kiddies. This was supposed to be the last chapter, but it didn't quite work out that way. I hope y'all don't mind too much...

**Thanks:** Specifically, to **_Absentia_** who served as initial beta for this and I think helped me make it better, and to **_GuardianKysra_** who was a wonderful sounding board and, as always, helps me make sure things are reading the way I want them to read. Generally, on 'emsscraps' probably tomorrow.

_**Home, Chapter 10  
**__**Clarity  
**__**by Em**_

"_A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it."  
_- George Moore

As the last of the fireworks faded in the sky above them, Raven turned to Robin and looked at him until he turned to look at her.

"Why are you jealous of any attention offered to anyone that isn't you?" Raven asked, seemingly out of the blue.

Robin thought she must have come to some sort of internal conclusion because he could see the determination in her expression, and although before they had sat down to watch the fireworks – hell, before they had entered the funhouse – he might have felt some kind of trepidation, maybe some confusion or doubt, when he saw the resolution in her eyes, he met her eyes with nothing but a happy sort of expectation. He smiled at her and brought her hand into his lap. Her attention momentarily wavered to look at their fingers against the dark blue of his jeans in the muted light cast by the distant fairgrounds.

"I am jealous of any attention _you_ offer to anyone that isn't me, Raven, not just attention anyone offers to anyone else that isn't me," he said softly. Her eyes came up to his and he smiled at her again, "Do you understand that distinction?"

She narrowed her eyes, "So, why?"

Robin laughed and shook his head, standing up and pulling her with him before starting to walk down to the little hill. "Come on, I have an meeting to keep."

Raven caught up with him and put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him around to face her before he had even realize it, "I think Mr. Haly can wait another few moments," Raven said seriously. "I think you need to tell me what you keep insinuating."

"Is it so hard to figure out?" he asked.

Raven frowned, and thought about it for a moment, "I need you to say it," she decided.

"Why?" he asked instead. "Surely you can feel what I'm feeling."

"I don't know what I feel, so how could I know what you feel?" Raven asked. "I know what I think it is," she answered, "I know what I--" she trailed off and looked away from him, then looked at him as if forcing herself, "--what I hope it is, but I'm not used to this...any of this. I can figure it out on my own, maybe, but I will never be sure of any of it unless you spell it out for me..." She watched his eyes go wide in surprise and took a deep breath. "So spell it out, Boy Wonder."

She could see the thoughts racing behind his eyes, the emotions in the lines of his face, until he met her eyes and came to a decision.

He nodded, once, firmly, and took a step toward her. She might have taken a step back, instinctively, as he approached with that look on his face, but before she could, his hand had reached up to cup the back of her head, holding her in place and he closed the distance between them by bringing his lips down onto hers, stealing her breath.

Raven eyes widened in shock, even as Robin gently coaxed a response from her lips, which seemed to know what to do even if she was at a loss. She felt Robin's hand in her hair, she felt the pulse of him under her fingers as her hands found purchase on his shoulders to help steady herself and eventually, her eyes fluttered closed as she surrendered to the strange and wonderful feeling of Robin feeding at her mouth.

When their lips parted, he kept her close by wrapping his arms around her waist, leaning his forehead against hers and for a moment, there was just the sound of their breathing and with each deep inhale, it felt to Raven as if she could still taste him on her tongue.

"I've wanted to do that since before you made me wonder what cotton candy might taste like on your mouth," he whispered, somewhat hoarsely. "But now that I've tasted you, I swear if you eat another bite of the stuff I don't think I'll be able to hold myself back."

"So--" Raven trailed off, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, pushing back enough to search his eyes, "What you're saying is that you have a cotton candy fetish?"

Robin laughed and she could feel it vibrate through every spot where their bodies touched. "No," he said, bringing his hands to cup her face and hold her eyes, "I'm saying I love you." When he felt her flinch as if she'd been hurt, he held firm, "I'm saying I would go through hell a dozen times over if it meant saving you, I'm saying I'm jealous of any attention you offer to anyone other than me because I want to be the only person who gets your attention, the only person who gets to hold you..." he brought his kiss down on her forehead, over her chakra stone, on her nose, on her lips, chastely. He pulled back to look at her, "How's that for clear?"

She smiled, slowly, her hands wrapping tentatively around his back, "Pretty clear."

"Pretty?" he quirked a brow, "Not crystal?" he asked, smirking. "Well, then I think we need to work on that."

Raven was blushing and he found it incredibly adorable, especially since he was the one to make her blush. "Yes," she answered, a little breathless, "Perhaps we will."

It suddenly occurred to him that he had told her he loved her and although she hadn't reciprocated verbally, she hadn't gone running or pushed him away, metaphysically or physically. He could, it also occurred to him, just lean down and kiss her without the threat of having her run away from him and the realization made him feel warm and...happy. She hadn't said she loved him either, but she had admitted, however subtly, that she wanted him to love her, that she hoped he did love her, and he was fine with that for now. The rest could come with time. After she was crystal clear as to his intentions and his feelings and she felt comfortable sharing hers. He could wait. He would just have to make certain, every chance he could, that she understood just how much he felt for her. And as he leaned in to do just that, the distinct sound of a throat clearing made them both jump in surprise.

"You guys are sooooo cute," Izzy exclaimed.

Raven blushed a bright red that was nearly imperceptible in the dark but which Robin saw and couldn't help grinning at. When she started to pull away guiltily, like a child with their hand in the cookie jar, Robin held on and didn't let her. He looked at Raven and pulled away only enough so that she could turn to face Izzy, keeping an arm around her waist, half afraid if he stopped touching her, she'd try to pretend like this never happened.

"Hello, Izzy," Robin greeted.

"I betcha thought we couldn't find you here, huh?" Izzy asked, grinning from ear to ear. "But I remember how you used to love to disappear and you'd be here all the time."

"You were a fetus, Izzy, how could you remember such a thing?" Robin asked.

"Maybe she had a little help," Skip said, coming up the hill.

"I thought so," Robin answered.

"I coulda found you by myself!" Izzy defended and when no one seemed to believe her, she frowned for all of three seconds, before it was gone with a shrug. "Anyway, daddy's looking for you, Ricky," she said. "He's in his office now."

"We were just on our way," Raven said.

"Oh, you were on your way somewhere, but not--" Robin glared at Skip so he stopped.

Izzy looked from one boy to the other and finally met Raven's eyes with raised brows of her own. "Ooooh..." she started loudly and melodiously, "we're..." she turned around and pointed downward, "Off to see the wizard!" she sang, started to skip down the hill. "The wonderful wizard of Oz..." she continued singing as she walked down the hill, turning to look at them when they weren't following. "If y'all don't hurry, you'll miss supper!" she called up in a sing-song tone before turning on her heel and skipping off.

"Is she always this..." Raven trailed off.

"Peppy?" Robin asked.

"Psychotic?" Skip offered simultaneously.

They looked at each other and then nodded. "Yep."

Skip shrugged and started after Izzy.

Robin and Raven turned to each other and Robin reached over to brush a stray strand of hair away from Raven's eyes, smiling at her.

Her hand found his at her waist and she gripped it. "Are you ready for this?" she asked.

Robin smiled at her and nodded, "I am now."

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

**A/N:** Okay...one more chapter left. I know I said this was going to be the last chapter, but I couldn't make all the resolutions come together in the one chapter. But hey, I'm sure most of y'all don't really care what Mr. Haly has to say, do you? So long as Robin and Raven have resolved their issues.

So this is the way it will DEFINITELY work out: one more chapter after this one. And _maybe_...there MIGHT be an Epilogue. We'll have to see how the last finale chapter works itself out. (It's not written yet, although some images are already in my head.)


	11. 11: Coming Home

**A/N:** That's it. _Finis. C'est tout, mes amies._ The last chapter. ::goes off singing, _'And another one bites the dust!'_

**Thanks:** To everyone who's reviewed (especially the few people who assured me that THEY DID indeed, care about why Mr. Haly had asked Robin over.). Especially, as always, to _**Kysra**_ who played beta for me on most of this one. Specific responses on 'emsscraps' sometime tomorrow. I think.

I hope you enjoy!

_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_**Home, Chapter 11  
**__**Coming Home  
**__**By Em**_

"_Home' is any four walls that enclose the right person."  
_- Helen Rowland

"You must be Rachel."

Raven blinked at the warmth in the greeting and stopped dead in her tracks at the door as if she weren't sure she shouldn't be running in the other direction. Only Robin's hand in hers kept her grounded and she was able to focus on the friendly features of the man who had stopped in front of her, waiting.

"I am Rachel," she finally answered when she realized an answer was expected.

"I've heard much about you," the man said, using his thumb and forefinger to comb at his jet black mustache, only slightly gray, in what she guessed was a habitual gesture more than a necessary one. "And I must say, even Skip's exuberant praise doesn't do your beauty justice."

She decided with that gesture, that she would like Mr. Haly and found it incredibly difficult not to smile. "You are too kind," she answered.

Mr. Haly smiled at her and turned to Robin at her side. "Boy," he greeted, a warm smile still on his face. "You've grown up well."

Robin smiled, and only Raven could feel the slight tightening of his hand in hers, so only Raven knew of his unease. "Thank you for inviting us," Robin spoke.

"Sheesh!" Izzy exclaimed from behind them, pushing Robin and Raven further into the room as she pushed her own way inside. "Y'all are being so formal!" She walked across the room to her father's side and hugged him with one arm.

Raven squeezed Robin's hand once and let it go. Robin took the hint and extended it to Mr. Haly. "It's good to see you again, Sir."

Mr. Haly took his hand and pulled Robin into his embrace. "I've missed you, boy."

Robin, who had started out surprised at the contact, returned the hug at Haly's rough words. "It's been good to be back."

"Well," Izzy said, smiling as the two parted. "Now that my job here is done..." she started to walk away toward the exit. "Don't be too long, daddy, supper'll go cold." Raven followed her exit, wondering whether she should do the same or stick around when Izzy winked once at her before closing the door with her inside the room.

"Well, now, have a seat, both of you," Haly offered, motioning to the seats in front of the surprisingly neat desk. "We can catch up over supper later on, we best get down to business right now as I'm sure you've been wondering why I sent for you."

Robin and Raven sat and waited for Haly to do so before Robin answered, "I figure it has to do with my parents."

"It does," Haly confirmed. He pulled open the side drawer of his desk, reaching into it and out of their sight. Without further ado or preamble, he pulled a box, about 8 inches wide, 10 inches long and about four inches deep, wrapped in brown paper and tied with a simple string. "Your mamma and pappa left something with me, Richard, before they passed on, and made me promise to give it to you just before your eighteenth birthday." He placed the box on the table top and, caressing it once, slid it over the worn but smooth top toward him. "You turn eighteen next month, don't you?"

Robin looked at the box as if he weren't sure it wouldn't shock him if he touched it.

"Now, I've of a mind to leave you here to look it over in peace and get on my way, but there's something in there I need to be around to explain to you, and although I hate to hurry you, I did promise your mamma that I'd make sure you opened that, so..." he trailed off and shrugged, leaning back in his chair.

Raven started to stand, but got no further than resting her weight on her feet in preparation of pushing off the chair before Robin's hand found her wrist, stilling her. She met his eyes and needed no further invitation to stay, so she relaxed in the chair and nodded to him.

"This is why you called me here?" Robin asked, looking from the box to Mr. Haly.

"What did you think I called you here for, boy?" Haly asked, curious.

"I thought it was..." he trailed off and looked at Raven.

"Danger," Raven answered. "He thought you needed his help for something."

Haly looked from Robin to Raven and laughed, chuckling at first, and then at their continued look of serious expectation, the chuckles turned into uproarious guffaws.

Robin couldn't help but smile as he remembered that laugh.

"You're a good kid," Haly finally said when he could. He nodded as if he were convincing someone. "You were good when you were knee high to a monkey, but you grew up good, too," he smiled at them. "Your pappa would be mighty proud."

Robin smiled and his eyes drifted to the box, "Thank you." Then Robin felt the warm press of Raven's hand slide against his and squeeze. He smiled at her and turned back to the box, letting her hand go only when the box was on his lap and he had to.

He went through the process of undoing string and slipping off paper almost reverently, marveling at the texture of the aged paper, slightly yellowed with the passage of time, half wondering if it had been his mother or his father who had wrapped it so neatly and what their thoughts had been at the time.

The lid slipped off without protest and Raven had to stop herself from leaning forward to peer inside, and then, only by reminding herself that Robin should have a moment alone with these things that had belonged to his parents, things left for him. What could he possibly be feeling? In her small bank of emotional experiences, Raven could think of absolutely nothing to relate it to, and so, couldn't even begin to imagine.

Robin glanced inside the box and his eyes widened a little in obvious surprise before, as if he could somehow tell she was thinking of him, he turned to her and smiled, then pulled out a brown leather book that she guessed was an album of some sort, obviously worn with age. He handed it to her carefully and went back to the box.

Raven touched the cover of the album for a moment, but turned her attention back to Robin as he unearthed more treasures from its relatively shallow depths. Slightly confused, Robin pulled out several smaller items that looked alien to her. He glanced at her and shook his head.

"I think they're cassette tapes," Robin told her.

She nodded, familiar with the vocabulary even if she had never seen the type before.

"I forget how young you both are," Mr. Haly spoke up from across the desk, smiling a little.

"My parents recorded these?" Robin asked Mr. Haly.

Haly nodded. "You were maybe a year old when they did it," he answered.

Robin swallowed hard. He took the tapes and almost reluctantly handed them to Raven. She took them solemnly and cradled them on her lap, atop the photo album.

Finally, Robin pulled out a much heavier book, larger than most and much, much thicker.

Raven's eyes widened in surprise, "It's an illuminated bible?" she half-asked. If there was anything Raven knew, it was books.

Mr. Haly nodded and smiled at her. "Very good, little one," he told her proudly. "As far as we can tell, it's from around the eighteenth century, possibly older, but your parents had never taken it to be verified."

Robin ran his eyes over the inlaid intricacies of the cover, lingering on his family name engraved near the bottom.

"Your dad told me once," Haly began, "that it was the only thing he took with him when he ran away from his house after his parents passed away."

"It's beautiful," Robin breathed, noting the intricate detail.

"What you need to see is inside, son," Haly said softly.

Robin looked at him for a moment, then back to the heavy bible and pulled open the cover. For a moment, he looked at the intricate drawing without realizing what it was exactly he was looking at. All he saw were lines and small scribbles. And then, one name in particular, caught his attention, then three, and finally, four.

"It's a family history," Raven spoke from where she was leaning against him to better look at the detail spread on his lap. "Look, Richard," Raven said, awed. "There you are," she reached out and gingerly caressed his name near the bottom of the page.

Robin met her eyes and they locked for a few moments, until Raven smiled. Stronger now, Robin turned back to Mr. Haly. "I thought everything of theirs was burned," he spoke. "Certainly something like this…"

"Burned?" Raven asked, too surprised to censure herself.

"It is a Romany tradition," Haly answered her. "Especially when someone dies in a violent manner, to allow the souls of the departed to move on and not feel attached to anything here in this world." He turned to Robin. "But I could not burn this, Richard," he explained. "Your father and your mother, they asked me to keep it for you."

"But why would they?" Robin pressed. "They couldn't know they wouldn't be around to give it to me themselves…"

Haly looked uncertain for a moment. "It was a precaution," he explained. "And if you look at the family tree again, you might understand why it was given to me."

"You're Richard's godfather," Raven said. Robin's head lifted in surprise to Raven's. She inclined her head to motion the book, so Robin's eyes lowered to the yellowed pages only to find that indeed, there, linked to Robin's name, was Roderick Haly, godfather.

Haly nodded, eyes focused on Robin. "I was to take you in should anything happen to your parents, to take care of you," Haly said. "It was the promise I made before your parents and God," his voice was just slightly thick, like he was having a hard time forcing the air out of his lungs. "But I let the rich man, Bruce Wayne take you in." Haly lowered his head. "For that, I apologize," he finished.

Robin was speechless. He remembered how scared he was to be leaving everything he had ever known when he was still so young, how he hated having to leave all the nooks and crannies that reminded him everyday of his parents and the people who had been as family to him. What would his life have been like if he had stayed with the circus? Under the care of this man who he remembered was always as affectionate and free with his love as he was strict and rigorous with his training and his desire that they all go to school and try to better themselves. Would he have been a normal kid now, like Izzie or Skip, going to school and working the circus on weekends and holidays when the mood struck them? What would his life have been like if he had known that no matter where he went, he had a family to come back to, instead of the Batman and a cold cave and even colder house?

He had gone with Bruce thinking that no one else wanted him.

"Why?" Robin finally spoke even as Raven's hand slipped back under his.

"I thought he could offer you what I never could, Richard," Haly answered sincerely. "I wanted what was best for you, and if you went with Wayne, you'd get all of it." Haly sighed heavily and met Robin's eyes. "I almost took it back when I saw your face as Wayne walked you to his big black limousine that morning, but I was sure you were meant for more than a being a carnie kid or a highwire act."

Robin couldn't tell Haly how wrong he had been or how he would have given up all the benefits Bruce's money provided to him for one chance to live a normal life. Would he still have been so obsessed to seek revenge for their deaths if he had stayed here, he wondered?

"Now, you're almost a man, and I have this other promise to carry out and you're old enough to understand why I did what I did and old enough to make a conscious choice as to whether or not you can forgive me for not carrying out your parents' wishes fully," Haly finished when Robin didn't say any more.

Raven's hand squeezed his and Robin could practically feel a sense of warmth and calm envelop him, and with it, he was able to think, to hear what the man he had looked up to as a father figure as a child was asking for and to know, in his heart, he could give it.

"There's nothing to forgive, Uncle Roddy," Robin said, unconsciously slipping into the nickname all the children had for the bear of a man. He looked down at the pages of the family bible and then back up at him. "You did what you thought was best," he looked up at the man and smiled. "You did exactly what my mother and father asked of you," he assured him, carefully packing the bible before raising eyes to him. "You took care of me."

Haly smiled and nodded and Raven had the impression he was fighting back tears. "I would like to remain your godfather if you'd like to think of me as such."

Robin smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Roderick Haly's well-worn face broke into a brilliant smile. "You remind me of your mother when you smile like that."

Robin laughed and looked back at the family bible, fingers caressing his mother's name. "Thank you," he said and, smiled at Haly. "Thank you for keeping this for me and for everything you've done for my family." He stood, placing the bible back in the box and turned to Raven. "Ready to go home?" he asked her.

'Home,' Raven thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes." She put her hand in his and let him help her up.

"Oh, ho-ho!" Haly exclaimed, standing from his desk and coming around it before they could take three steps. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked them.

"It's late," Robin answered. "We'll be back, I promise."

"Damn right it's late," Haly emphasized with an air of offense. "Did you think we'd let you two kids go home without having anything to eat?" He shook his head. "I will not have it," he took the box out of Robin's hand and placed it in the chair. "That will be safe there until after we eat," he assured him. "Now, come! They'll be waiting on us for supper!" He motioned with his large beefy hands in a shooing motion and Robin and Raven stood and started for the door. "You remember where the mess tent is, Richard, I trust?"

"Even if I didn't," Robin said, hand on Raven's back leading her in the exact location of the mess tent. "The wonderful smell could never lead me astray."

Haly's booming laughter followed them all the way to the tent where they were heartily greeted like lost relatives.

Which Robin was, she supposed.

And which, apparently, Robin's touches and casual kisses made her in their eyes as well.

It wasn't until much, much later, after the food had been ingested and after Mr. Haly had been prevailed upon to take up his fiddle for a few rousing tunes, and finally been allowed to give the floor up to a younger fiddler, that Haly sat beside them again.

"We leave for our winter camp ground day after tomorrow," he told Robin.

"I figured," Robin answered, still smiling.

"We've always been your family, Richard, I hope you know that," Haly continued.

It took Robin a split second to put two and two together and Raven a second and a half. "You're asking me to come with you?" Robin asked.

"It might be too late, but…"

"It's not too late," Robin interrupted with a smile. "I am happy to find I can call you family, and I am very grateful for your asking, but I can't go with you." He shook his head. "I have a family here, now." He looked at Raven, then back at Haly. "And I belong with them."

Raven's hand tightened in his, but she didn't look at him. He turned to her and leaned in close, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Are you certain about this, Richard?" she whispered, her eyes closed. "This was your home…"

"Haven't you figured it out yet, Rae?" he whispered back, cupping her cheek with one hand. She leaned back a little to look at him. "You're my home now."

She smiled at him then, and he leaned in to kiss her again, still marveling at the freedom to do such a thing."

"What about the others?" she asked when his lips were still inches away.

"Hmm?" he asked, enthralled with watching her lips move as she talked.

"Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire?" Raven said.

Robin glanced up to meet her eyes for a minute and smiled wickedly, "Well, they can live with us, I guess."

Raven started to laugh, but his lips stole the sound.

_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

**Final A/N:** So, I hope this worked to your satisfaction all you wonderful readers. This story has gone on for quite some time, actually. Much, _much_ longer than I thought it was going to be when I first started it. But here you go…all things end.

Please enjoy, and remember to make sure and tell me what you thought of the way I wrapped it all up, 'kay?


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